Sensorized shoelace-tensioning system and method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and devices for measuring tension in the shoelace of the shoe.

1 . A method of measuring shoelace tension comprising:
 measuring, using a lace-tensioning device, tension in a shoelace of a shoe worn on a foot, wherein the lace-tensioning device comprises a female coupler, a male coupler, at least one force sensor connected between the female coupler and the male coupler that measures tension between the female coupler and the male coupler, and a plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies, wherein one or more of the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to the female coupler and one or more of the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to or the male coupler and the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to the shoelace of the shoe such that the at least one force sensor measures tension in the shoelace of the shoe,   wherein said shoe comprises two parallel rows of eyelets configured to receive a single shoelace such that the shoelace applies tension to the shoe when said shoelace is threaded between the two parallel rows of eyelets, and   wherein said lace-tensioning device is located between the two parallel rows of eyelets of the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring, using an inertia measurement unit (IMU), one or more parameters related to movement of the foot. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device in communication with the IMU, the measured one or more parameters related to movement of the foot and the tension in the shoelace of the shoe worn on the foot, wherein the measured one or more parameters related to movement of the foot and the tension in a shoelace of the shoe worn on the foot are used by the computing device executing computer-readable instructions to make a determination about the person and/or communicate a message to the person.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the IMU comprises one or more sensors, a processor in communication with the one or more sensors, and a transmitter, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a barometer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the force sensors comprises a load cell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more parameters relation to movement of the foot include one or more of an overall motion of the person's leg and foot during the leg's swing, motion of the foot when it is pushing off of a surface to obtain forward momentum in walking or running. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determination about the person includes one or more of a quality of a gait of the person, a strength of leg muscles of the person, an overall health of the person, a person's postures, physical activity and transitions between postures and activities, and measurements of quantifiable and qualitative characteristics of these postures, activities, and transitions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the overall health of the person includes identifying human activity mode, postures, and transitions between different activities/postures and/or estimating energy expenditure and/or quantifying rehabilitation outcomes of the person in real-world daily-living environments. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein identifying human activity modes, postures, and transitions between different activities/postures comprises identifiable activities and postures including but not limited to sitting, standing, sit to stand, stand to sit, walking, running, stair ascent, stair descent, and cycling. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the quality of the gait of the person includes monitoring gait quality in daily life, detecting unexpected gait events, and estimating the risk of fall for frail older adults and individuals with neuromuscular pathologies, supporting the adaptive control of wearable assistive devices through the real-time measurement of healthy-side leg movements, and quantifying performance of athletes in sports. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the message communicated to the person includes a risk of fall. 
     
     
         12 . A system for measuring shoelace tension comprising:
 a lace tensioning device comprising a female coupler, a male coupler, at least one force sensor connected between the female coupler and the male coupler that measures tension between the female coupler and the male coupler, and a plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies, wherein one or more of the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to the female coupler and one or more of the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to or the male coupler and the plurality of lace-tensioner assemblies are connected to the shoelace of the shoe such that the at least one force sensor measures tension in the shoelace of the shoe,   wherein said shoe comprises two parallel rows of eyelets configured to receive a single shoelace such that the shoelace applies tension to the shoe when said shoelace is threaded between the two parallel rows of eyelets, and   wherein said lace-tensioning device is located between the two parallel rows of eyelets of the shoe.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising an inertia measurement unit (IMU), wherein the IMU comprises one or more sensors, a processor in communication with the one or more sensors, and a transmitter, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a barometer, and wherein the IMU measures one or more parameters related to movement of the foot. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising
 a computing device, wherein the computing device receives the measured one or more parameters related to movement of the foot and the tension in the shoelace of the shoe worn on the foot, wherein the measured one or more parameters related to movement of the foot and the tension in the shoelace of the shoe worn on the foot are received by the computing device executing computer-readable instructions to make a determination about the person and/or communicate a message to the person.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the force sensors comprises a load cell. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more parameters related to movement of the foot include one or more of an overall motion of the person's leg and foot during the leg's swing, motion of the foot when it is pushing off of a surface to obtain forward momentum in walking or running. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the determination about the person includes one or more of a quality of a gait of the person, a strength of leg muscles of the person, and an overall health of the person, a person's postures, physical activity and transitions between postures and activities, and measurements of quantifiable and qualitative characteristics of these postures, activities, and transitions. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein determining the overall health of the person includes identifying human activity mode, postures, and transitions between different activities/postures and/or estimating energy expenditure and/or quantifying rehabilitation outcomes of the person in real-world daily-living environments, wherein identifying human activity modes, postures, and transitions between different activities/postures comprises identifiable activities and postures including but not limited to sitting, standing, sit to stand, stand to sit, walking, running, stair ascent, stair descent, and cycling. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein determining the quality of the gait of the person includes monitoring gait quality in daily life, detecting unexpected gait events, estimating the risk of fall for frail older adults and individuals with neuromuscular pathologies, supporting the adaptive control of wearable assistive devices through the real-time measurement of healthy-side leg movements, and/or quantifying performance of athletes in sports. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the message communicated to the person includes a risk of fall.